1) Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for cleaning aircraft, and more particularly, to automated systems and methods for cleaning aircraft fuselage interiors.
2) Description of Related Art
During the process of constructing an aircraft, such as a commercial aircraft, a primer material is typically applied to the surface of the fuselage interior for the purpose of corrosion protection. In order to minimize or eliminate contaminants that may exist on the surface of the fuselage interior prior to applying the primer and/or in order to activate the primer, the surface of the fuselage interior can be cleaned by typically washing the surface of the fuselage interior with water and a cleaning solution and then drying the surface of the fuselage interior with an air hose. The fuselage interior surface to be cleaned can typically be in the range of 2000 square feet to 4000 square feet. Such cleaning process may be required every three to four days for a year or more while the aircraft is being constructed.
Known systems and methods for cleaning fuselage interiors typically include manual systems and methods. One known manual cleaning method for cleaning an upper half or upper portion of the aircraft fuselage interior involves a four-step method that employs the use of a movable gantry with a platform. The known manual method includes a first step of a first operator 48 manually spraying water 52 from a water hose 50 to initially wet down an aircraft fuselage interior surface 38 of the upper half or upper portion 31 of the aircraft fuselage interior 30 (see FIG. 4). The known manual method further includes a second step of an operator manually spraying a cleaning solution or cleaning fluid, such as a detergent or soap, from a cleaning solution or cleaning fluid hose to apply to the wet surface of the aircraft fuselage interior. The known manual method further includes a third step of an operator spraying water from a water hose to rinse off the cleaning solution or cleaning fluid. The known manual method further includes a fourth step of a second operator 62 manually spraying compressed air 66 from an air hose 64 to blow dry the aircraft fuselage interior surface 38 of the upper half or upper portion 31 of the aircraft fuselage interior 30 that has been wetted, washed and rinsed (see FIG. 5).
However, such known manual method can be labor intensive and can require up to four human operators or more. Moreover, such known manual method can be time intensive and can require twenty-four hours or more to complete for a single cleaning operation that includes wetting, washing, rinsing and drying of the fuselage interior. In addition, such known manual method can result in operators having to walk on wet surfaces, such as fuselage open flooring surfaces, that become wet from the spraying of water or cleaning solution. Moreover, such known manual method may not provide complete cleaning coverage of the upper half or upper portion of the aircraft fuselage interior surface by the water, the cleaning solution and the compressed air should an operator miss an area to be covered or should an operator become fatigued during application of the water, the cleaning solution, or the compressed air. In addition, such known manual method may create ergonomic issues for operators if the operators use repetitive arm movements during application and spraying of the water, cleaning solution, or the compressed air. Finally, such known manual method can require the use of separate hoses for dispensing the water, the cleaning solution, and the compressed air, and such known manual method may not provide mounting fixtures to mount the hoses on the floor or in an elevated manner to avoid the creation of any obstacles to the operators during the cleaning process.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an automated system and method for cleaning aircraft fuselage interiors that provide advantages over known systems and methods.